Tony and Albert Fagler of Englewood, Colorado were cleaning out their grandparent’s home after their grandmother died in 2000 and found three canisters of 16mm film. They took the film to the local TV station, but it was so old and brittle that the TV station sent it to the Library of Congress to be converted to video. There, historians asked that the original film be donated to the national archives. It contained footage of Tony and Albert’s grandfather Albert Fagler in World War II, including scenes with their grandmother, whom he met and married in England during the war.

There was another reason why the Library of Congress wanted the original films. They are a treasure trove of historic video of the aftermath of D-Day.

They contain cockpit video of American fighter planes in dogfights over the skies of France and Germany.

There is also footage of American planes taking out German convoys on the ground and attacks on ships.

The photographer also documents American soldiers on the ground in their advance across the French countryside.

The film has been called a national treasure, and will be available for future historians